Short of breath
by prosparkel
Summary: A twilight fan fiction, i made three of my own characters the rest belong to Stephanie Meyer. Rated M for future lemons.


As I huddled under my polar fleece blanket hiding myself from the cold La Push air, a loud howl echoed through the forest that encircled my uncle's house, the sound wasn't unfamiliar although chilling me to the bone as the howl divided into several ghostly howls that got farther and farther away. I had been here for two weeks and still had not gotten use to their ghostly calls. You would have thought I was use to the sounds wild dogs made having grown up outside the city of Los Angeles and hearing the cries of the coyotes for majority of my life. Something about these calls chilled me to my very core.

I pulled my blanket to my chin in a feeble attempt to hide myself from the echoes of the wolves. By the sounds of their calls they were far away and distressed, I stayed awake many night listening to different sounds coyotes made and what these particular sounds meant. The blanket lifted from my feet making them vulnerable targets for the icy cold air that remained in my room. I looked over at my alarm and saw that it was only five minutes past midnight. I groaned and pulled my feet up under me desperate for warmth, I laid my head back into the duck feathered pillows and starred up at my black ceiling. I was in for a long night.

"Bridget sweetie wake up!" my uncle called as he rapped the wooden door with his knuckle continuously.  
>"I'm awake," I grumbled as I looked at the time. I ran my fingers through my knotty bed hair; I sat up and looked over at my dressing table mirror…great I looked like a blonde mufasa. I rubbed my eyes and threw of the blanket, I gasped as the cold air hit me suddenly. It took all my strength not to pull the blanket back on and drift off into sleep again. I groaned and stood up my feet connected with the varnished wooden floor that absorbed most of last night's cold air causing my feet to tense, I ran to my draws and pulled on socks. I went through my closet and pulled on my LA Lakers shirt my dad bought me when he took me to my first match. I pulled on some jeans and tennis shoes before sitting in front of my mirror and pulled my brush through my mane trying to get it half decent.<p>

After applying a thin layer of make up I stood up and took a second glance in the mirror to confirm how I looked. I grabbed my bag and walked into the kitchen where my uncle had made bacon and eggs.  
>"You okay today kiddo?" he smiled warmly up from his newspaper. That question was getting old; everyone asked me that…how was I feeling? Well how would they feel after seeing their parents' cold dead faces? I bet they wouldn't sleep much…or eat. I looked at my uncle as he awaited my answer patiently I didn't want to get angry with him, he was just as upset as I was only he didn't show it. He had lost a brother and a sister in-law and yet he kept strong for me. I smiled sadly and he understood, he rose to his feet and hugged me. "I know…it was a stupid question," he muttered. I sighed and kept my eyes open and set on the door, I heard a car pull into my uncles two car drive way.<p>

The door swung open and my jaw dropped as I saw a tanned, topless and devilishly handsome man walk in. He looked eighteen at least; he smiled and waited patiently by the door. He had deep brown eyes, shaggy brown hair and abs you could grate cheese with. He let out a deep-throated cough causing my uncle to jump; he turned to see the man. I let go of my uncle and sat to eat my breakfast, my uncle walked up to the stranger and shook his hand before turning to face me.

"Bridget this is my bosses son Lathe, he's going to drop you off at school while I run an errand," he smiled. "In fact I'm already late, you kids have fun." Before I knew it I was alone with this handsome stranger. I grumbled a hello before placing my plate in the sink. I turned on the water and soaked the egg off the plate; I turned to him placing both hands on the counter to look at him.  
>"We going?" he smiled. I nodded and picked up my bag. I walked out onto the veranda, it was freezing…how was he topless and in shorts! I thought to myself as he opened his car door for me.<p>

He climbed in the front seat and pressed the key to the ignition, he looked over at me. "So is school really important?" he smiled as he stroked the wheel possessively. "Sort of, but I don't like going…I get teased for being "rich" not that I ever was." "Don't worry I got some buddies in there that can take care of you," he smiled. I nodded and looked out the window.  
>"Go on and ask," I mumbled.<br>"Ask what?"  
>"Oh you know the same old questions…" I sighed.<br>"Like what?" he asked obviously confused.  
>"How are you" or "how are you feeling" and even worse. "How'd your parents die?"" I started crying, I screamed at myself for making myself so vulnerable. He gave me a sympathetic look and pulled over, he shifted in his seat and looked at me, it wasn't till then that I realized he had no seat belt on.<p>

He looked at me and grabbed my shoulders gently; I tensed up ready to fight back. A deep chuckle rocked his body he rolled his eyes and gently rubbed my arms.  
>"I'm not going to hurt you…and I'm not going to ask questions, I'm not like most people," he said as he released a cocky smile. I rolled my eyes, my body suddenly realized I wasn't cold; in fact…he was warm, like being on the sun. I smiled at the thought of his skin on mine but then quickly scolded myself.<br>"Where is your mind?" he smiled as he looked into my eyes.  
>"Somewhere it isn't suppose to be," I smiled. He looked at me for a second before straightening in his seat, he turned his head towards me.<br>"School or no school?" he smiled.  
>"No school, I cant face that place." He nodded and pressed his foot onto the accelerator and pulled back onto the road and turned back into the forest.<p>

The day past quickly while I was with Lathe, he made me laugh again…it felt good to laugh. As the day went on I left my uncle a message saying I was going out with Lathe tonight. I was happy I made a friend and I knew my uncle would feel the same way, I felt a strange feeling towards Lathe and I wanted to know what it was. As the day turned tonight he took me for a walk through the forest, as we got deeper in I felt his hand reach to hold mine. His hand was big and fit mine inside it perfectly; I felt a warm feeling inside of me as he squeezed my hand. Suddenly my heart sank when I heard the ghostly cries of the wolves. He looked at me then towards the noise his eyes wide, was he scared as well? He pulled me into a bear hug, he then pulled me back and held my arms in his hands. He pressed his nose to mine and his hot breath caressed my face.

He sighed deeply and gave me a quick kiss before pulling back and looking at me, my lips tingled from where he had briefly kissed me. I brought my hand to my lip and smiled to myself.  
>"I'm sorry I didn't mean to…" he started.<br>"I liked it…" I smiled, confusion and excitement in my voice. He smiled at me again and then pain came into his face. He bit his lip and then turned back to where the howls had come from.  
>"Come on I'll take you home," he whispered and took my hand. I didn't like the thought of leaving him but I obliged and he drove me home. The drive home was silent; he pulled into my driveway and kissed my cheek gently.<br>"Sleep well…" he smiled as I got out, he drove off and in a dust of dirt her had disappeared headlights and all. I walked inside and sat my bag down; I called out a hello to my uncle before climbing into bed. The distant howls sounded again, but this time it was soothing, like a morbid lullaby.

Lathe's POV.

The trees rushed by my truck as I searched for a safe place to leave my baby, finally I pulled her off to the side of a clearing. I got out and heard the howls of my brothers grow nearer and nearer, I pulled off my shorts and went to phase but I just wasn't feeling it. I sat on my car seat, I looked out at the dark forest and all I saw was her face. Her face wasn't helping me as I tried to phase. Suddenly I envisioned her crying in my car and telling me about the no good people who teased her. My blood boiled and then I pictured her finding her parents murdered in their family home. I started breathing heavily and stepped away from my car.

Everything inside me ached as I transformed into a giant wolf, I no longer heard howls but instead their thoughts and I was certain they'd read mine. Bridget was on my mind, had I imprinted on her? How could you tell? Then I heard Sam, the alpha male, his thoughts gentle.  
><em>"You will know when you will be anything for her and do anything for her."<em> I bowed my head at the large black wolf suddenly in front of me. He nodded at me and I rose back to all fours and we sprang into the trees. The wet ground was soothing on my feet as we searched the perimeter for the red headed bloodsucker. I didn't even know of this Bella and yet I had to protect her, I'd rather be protecting Bridget. A large wolf known as Jacob turned at snarled at me…okay so he didn't like that thought.

The night wore on and I regretted leaving her side I didn't want to let her go, what if she thought I was blowing her off? God how I wanted to go and tell her…had I imprinted? It sure felt as if I had. When I look into her eyes I see love and purity and my whole world. She was five foot four, blonde with gorgeous blue eyes that sparkled in the sunlight and in the moonlight. She was tiny and fragile and I felt like I need to protect her. My heart started aching the farther I got from her, we reached the Canadian border and turned back. I heard Jacobs thoughts and they were scary, even for a wolf such as myself, to hear your own brother think of doing something so inhumane was enough to keep me awake for nights.

The sun began to rise and we all phased back, seeing my brother's fully bare use to creep me out but now it was just like seeing them with clothes on. I grabbed a change of clothes from my truck and pulled them on before driving home, this midnight wolf runs were tiring me out but I needed to call Bridget I couldn't bare the thought of her thinking that I had left her. I reached the phone and punched in Peter's number.  
>"Hello? Peter? Hey yea can I talk to Bridget?" I waited a few moments until Bridget's tired voice sounded on the other end. I loved the sound of her voice; it sent chills down my spine. I arranged to see her on Friday night, boy I had never been this excited about a date before…was it a date? Could I call it a date? Did she like me that way? I wanted to ask her all these but I kept quiet and wished her a good day before putting the phone back on the hook.<p>

Bridget's POV

I sighed as I hung up the phone, memories of Lathes hand in mine still lingered as I stood by the wall. I laid my head against the smooth cement and let out a wholehearted sigh, I brushed my hands up my arms and slid to the floor. I missed him immensely; I was officially loosing my mind I was head over heels for some guy I had just met, but man he was some great guy. I wrapped my arms around myself and pressed my back against the wall harder trying to feel his heart. My mind snapped back into reality and I soon realized that my uncle was still watching me. I rose from my feet and sheepishly pushed my hair back and left the room. I heard his deep chuckle and closed my door, my face and neck were red from embarrassment and my hands were clammy.

I pulled off my old clothes and replaced them with a fresh pair of blue jeans and a singlet with a jacket. The weather was warmer today but I sensed it wouldn't last very much longer, I walked back out and saw my uncles face lit with a smile.  
>"You and Lathe huh?" he smiled.<br>"There is no Lathe and I uncle Peter," I muttered. The words stung me and I regretted ever uttering them, my uncles smile disappeared and he gave me an odd look.  
>"Bridget I didn't mean to assume," he said, he sounded defeated. Great I had upset my favorite uncle, I was going to hell. I looked at him and held back tears, he looked at my face and pulled me into a hug. I liked his hugs, it was secure and I felt safe. His hugs felt similar to my dads when I was upset or hurt. My dads hugs always made me better, it must run in the family.<p>

We ate breakfast and uncle Peter drove me to school, Lathe had given me the names of his friends that will look after me at the school. Their names were Jacob, Quill and Embry. I noticed them straight away by how Lathe had described them and obviously they saw me too. No doubt Lathe would have told them to keep an eye on me, the taller boy whom I assumed was Jacob walked up to me with Quill and Embry behind him. He smiled at me and shook my hand. They looked similar to Lathe but none of them made my heart beat like he did.


End file.
